Cuff shaper



J. T. HELTON Jan. 13, 1959 CUFF SHAPER Filed A rii 26, 1956 LYVEHTFP JAMES 7. Hare/v United States Patent CUFF SHAPER James T. Helton, Fort Collins, Colo.

Application April 26, 1956, Serial No. 580,928

1 Claim. (Cl. 223-63) This invention relates generally to a tool for drawing taut a sleeve of fabric and more particularly to a tool for cuff shaping a trouser leg and the like.

The tool of the present invention comprises a U- shaped member including bottom and resilient leg portions with the bottom portion being adapted to be inserted bottom first into the sleeve with the legs being adapted to bias against the sleeve of fabric to allow the sleeve to be maintained in a predetermined taut relationship to aid in the pressing of the sleeve or trouser leg and the sewing of french cuffs onto the sleeve or trouser leg and the like.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a new and improved sleeve shaping tool.

Another object of this invention relates to a sleeve shaping tool having a water absorbent fabric thereon to prevent the tool from rusting and soiling a trouser leg in its use therewith.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved highly useful cuff shaping tool which lends itself to being economically manufactured on a large production basis and has a number of highly advantageous applications.

Other objects and features of the present invention will more fully become apparent in view of the following detailed discussion taken in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating a single embodiment thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my cuff shaping tool;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary partially crosssectional View of one of the ends of my cuff shaping tool;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a trouser leg before the tool has been applied thereto and the same trouser leg with the tool in assembly therewith; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing another application of my cuff shaper at which time french cuffs are being sewn to a trouser leg.

As shown on the drawing:

The reference numeral indicates generally my U- shaped cuff shaper or cuff shaping tool which may comprise a rod made from spring or resilient steel of approximately A of an inch in diameter. The cuff shaper 10 preferably carries an outer covering of fabric 11 which may be an absorbent type of nylon fabric or the like (Figure 2).

The cuff shaper includes a bottom portion 12, resilient leg portions 13 and free terminal ends 14. The resilient leg portions 14 may be inclined away from one another to enable varied degrees of adjustment in the use of the tool.

Each of the free ends 14 of the cuff shaper 10 carries a ferrule or cap 15 which is adapted to overlie each of the free ends of the rod and the fabric 11. The caps 15 are preferably locked to the free ends 14 of the cuff shaper to insure against their becoming disengaged. The caps 15 serve to keep the ends of the fabric from fraying and unraveling.

The instant cuflr' shaper has been found to be an excellent tool for shaping cufis on pants that have been ice wet cleaned, for sewing french cuffs on pants or plain bottom trousers, for shaping of the cuffs in new trousers, and for many other uses.

Figure 3 shows how the tool may be used in wet cleaning of trousers 16. The leg portions 13 of the tool 10 are of a predetermined distance apart, slightly larger than the width of the trouser so as to be capable of draw ing a trouser leg taut when it is inserted with the bottom portion 12 first into the sleeve or trouser leg 16. Customarily in a pressing operation the pants seams 17 are aligned with respect to one another. Subsequently, the resilient leg portions 13 of the tool 10 are pressed towards one another by normally gripping the free ends 14 and the bottom portion 12 is then slipped into the trouser leg at predetermined distance. The ends 14 are then released with the resilient leg portions 13 acting to tension and shape the trouser leg and cuff to a proper width. After this initial step has been. performed the trouser leg and cuff shaper may be placed upon a press buck 18, such as is shown in Figure 3. The trouser leg and cuff shaper assembly then may be steamed slightly and the garment will assume its proper shape. After the steaming operation, the tool may be removed and the operator may continue in the regular pressing operation to complete the pressing of the trousers or garment.

In Figure 4 is shown still another application of the instant cuff shaper in the sewing of french cuffs 19 to the trouser leg 16. French cuffs are oftentimes put on trousers to lengthen them where there is not sufficient cloth to lengthen the pants or where former cuffs have become badly worn. By using the cuff shaping tool 10, the trouser leg 16 and the french cuff 19 may be maintained in predetermined aligned position with respect to one another so that the seams of the trouser and cuff will be in longitudinal alignment with respect to one another while they are sewn together.

i The cuff shaping tool has been found to be particularly advantageous not only in the maintenance of a predetermined alignment between the french cuffs and the trouser leg, but also by reason that the free ends 14 are removed from the sewing operation and do not interfere therewith.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

A cuff shaping tool comprising a U-shaped rod including a bottom and diverging resilient leg portions joined with the bottom and which leg portions are each substantially straight with the bottom insertable bottom first into a trouser leg with said resilient leg portions acting to tension the trouser leg to aid in the pressing of the trouser leg, in the sewing of french cuffs onto the trouser leg, and the like, said rod having about its periphery an outer thickness of water absorbent fabric along the length thereof to prevent the tool from staining the trouser leg when wet pressing same, and means on terminal end portions of each of said leg portions to prevent the fabric from unraveling, said means comprising caps enveloping the terminal portions of the leg portions along with the fabric thereon and being in assembly therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,214,707 Newhouse Feb. 6, 1917 2,488,617 Butcher Nov. 22, 1949 2,555,136 Kaiser May 29, 1951 2,556,815 Lovelace 1. June 12, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 241,065 Great Britain Oct. 15, 1925 

